unusual-prophesies book 1 --perry stone

All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version of the Bible, unless
otherwise indicated.
ISBN: 0-9708611-4-1
LOC: 2005922752
Copyright 2005 by Voice of Evangelism, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or otherwise, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, without the permission in writing from the author.
Voice of Evangelism Outreach Ministries
P. O. Box 3595
Cleveland, Tennessee, 37320
(423) 478-3456
Fax: 423-478-1392
www.Perrystone.org
Printed in the United States of America
Pathway Press, 1030 Montgomery Avenue
Cleveland, Tennessee 37311

Contents
Introduction / 7
1 The Sea and the Waves Roaring / 9
2 The Shaking of the Nations / 25
3 Parallels to the Days of Noah / 49
4 Blood, Fire and Pillars of Smoke / 63
5 Selective Judgment / 71
6 Conclusion / 77
Appendix 1: The Protection of the Righteous / 79
Appendix 2: Warnings from the Animals / 83
Appendix 3: America's Tsunami Threats / 87

od is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.G
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth
be removed, and though the mountains be
carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be
troubled, though the mountains shake with the
swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall
make glad the city of God, the holy place of the
tabernacles of the most High (Psalm 46:1-4)

Introduction
was awakened at 2:30 a.m. on a Friday morning, and was
unable to go back to sleep. I sensed the Lord would have
me to go to my study, take my Bible and begin reading in the
Book of Jeremiah. There had been a major disaster in the
Asian region and there were numerous spiritual, theological
and prophetic questions pouring into my office by mail and
e-mail, asking if this event was mentioned in prophecy and
what the prophetic implications are for the future.
I
For several hours I read the Word and began seeing the
amazing correlation between the backslidings of ancient
Israel and the sins of many nations in the Pacific Rim. I
began to see how the patterns of God's judgment on ancient
Israel seemed to be repeating themselves in our generation.
My research began to answer my own questions. Suddenly,
the picture became quite clear, as I matched God's warnings
through the Hebrew Prophets with New Testament
prophecies that predicted trouble on the sea and disaster
from destructive winds, occurring in the season prior to the
return of Christ.
At 4:00 a.m., the Holy Spirit impressed me to write down
what He was giving me. I also felt the need to get this
teaching into the hands of as many people as possible. One
of the best ways to do this is through the printed page.
This is the first in a series of books which will be printed
dealing with Unusual Prophecies Being Fulfilled. In each
volume I will take several unusual prophecies which deal
with the same theme, and develop a prophetic picture of how
these passages are beginning to come to pass in our
generation. This will, hopefully, give the reader a better
understanding of the prophetic times and seasons.
The fact that this generation is now able to perceive and
understand the many ancient prophecies of the Bible, is a

8 / UNUSUAL PROPHECIES BEING FULFILLED
fulfillment of Daniel's prediction in Daniel 12:4:
But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of
the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase (Daniel
12:4).
As we continue to walk the path that concludes with the
glorious return of Jesus Christ, it is important for us to have
the same spirit the sons of Issachar had when it was said
they "had understanding of the times, to know what Israel
ought to do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). I believe our ministry has
a mandate from the Holy Spirit to help present an
understanding of the prophetic times and seasons in which
we are living. The world has, and will have, many questions.
We, the believers, need to have the answers.
A Servant of the Lord
Perry Stone, Jr.

There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars ... on the
earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves
roaring... Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory (Luke 21:25-27).
1
1 The Sea and the Waves
Roaring
n Sunday, December 26, 2004, at 7 a. m., something
unplanned and unexpected occurred deep beneath the
Indian Ocean. Off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, the entire
Aceh province was jarred by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake.
When the shaking ended, the people on land knew they had
experienced an earthquake. Within minutes, the water had
risen several inches, washing numerous fish up on the
shore. This unusual incident attracted many who ran to the
shoreline to catch the fish.
O
In hundreds of South Asian vacation resorts, children
had been splashing in the waves while dads rubbed
sunscreen on moms. Others lazily basked in the warm sun,
enjoying a perfect day at the beach. Thousands of individual
tourists and their families, representing many nations, were
enjoying a Christmas vacation in various countries around
the Indian Ocean rim.
Suddenly, a violent wave inundated the entire coastline.
Before mothers could grab their children and before
sunbathers could escape with their belongings, the tide rose
and thousands were caught in the muddy, swirling waves
like a helpless insect, struggling in a spider's web. Without

warning, the 30- to 35-foot wave, a tsunami, appeared,
tossing people and objects on the beaches in its devastating
fury. This 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is estimated to have
released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs.
This tragedy was catastrophic. More than 200,000 people
lost their lives in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand,
Somalia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Maldives, Seychelles,
Tanzania, Bangladesh—even South Africa and Kenya, 3,200
miles away. Because of limited communication technology in
the area and no large warning systems, the surrounding
nations with large coastal areas experienced the worst
natural disaster in their history.
Within 24 hours, the Western world added tsunami
(pronounced soo-nom-ee) to its vocabulary. A Japanese word
that comes from tsu meaning "harbor" and nami, meaning
"wave," the word means "the waves which come into the
harbor."
Within moments of the Indian Ocean disaster, news
networks and news reporters were calling scientists,
seismologists and geologists to request interviews,
information and background briefings on the subject. Within
hours the entire world began to hear about tsunamis and
tectonic plates.
The Tectonic Plates
If a person takes a large paper map of the world and cuts
out the continents, they can be connected together like
pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Many people, including scientists,
believe the continents were once united as one large land
mass at the beginning of Creation, but became separated
during a major cataclysm. Some scholars speculate the
division of the continents may have occurred during Noah's
Flood. Genesis 7 and 8 indicate that it rained continuously
for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:12).
The inspired writer also notes that the "fountains of the

THE SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING / 89
great deep were opened" (Genesis 7:11), causing water to
gush from underground springs, rivers and caverns, thus
creating destruction and death over the entire planet. This
event could have caused a major separation in the land,
dropping some areas downward and pushing up mountains
in other areas.
Another clue to the possible timing of such an event is
found in Genesis 10. This scripture speaks of Shem's
grandson, Peleg, and indicates that "in his day was the earth
divided" (Genesis 10:25). Peleg's name can mean division,
but it can also mean "earthquake." Some believe his name
alludes to a physical division of the continents.
[Peleg] from paalag—"to divide" because in his days, which is
supposed to be about 100 years after the flood, the earth was divided
among the sons of Noah. Though some are of the opinion that a physical
division, and not a political one, is what is intended here, viz., a separation
of continents and islands from the main land, the earthy parts having been
united into one great continent previously to the days of Peleg. This
opinion appears to me the most likely, for what is said in Genesis 10:5 is
spoken by way of anticipation (comment on Genesis 10:25 in The Adam
Clarke Commentary).
To speculate when this division of the land into separate
continents occurred is not as important as the fact that this
physical separation caused the continents to be lying on
tectonic plates. Tectonic plates are slabs of rock between 50
to 650-feet thick. The plates carry the earth's continents and
seas on an underground ocean of much hotter, semi-solid
material.
The danger comes when a major volcanic eruption or an
earthquake occurs, especially under the water. If the
pressure under the sea is strong enough, it can create a
shifting in the plates that produces not only a major
earthquake, but in turn creates a deadly tsunami. A tsunami
is a series of great sea waves. While they can be triggered by
landslides or volcanic eruptions, most tsunamis originate as

a result of underwater earthquakes.
Tsunamis are primarily generated by earthquakes in
subduction zones. In these zones one section of the earth's
crust, called a tectonic plate, moves over or under another. A
giant rupture causes the seafloor to warp, displacing a vast
amount of seawater. This raises the sea level and sets off the
tsunami.
The devastation in December 2004, was created when the
India and Burma plates collided, causing the tsunami to
form. Billions of tons of water pounded the shores of 14
nations in a matter of hours! The collision of the plates
produced:
A 9.0 magnitude earthquake which was the strongest in
40 years
Waves as high as 35 feet
Waves traveling between 400 to 500 miles per hour
Waves that caused death 3,200 miles away on the coast
of Africa
The deaths of more than 200,000 people, over a third of
them children.
Geologists and seismologists indicate that the 9.0 quake
was the fourth largest since 1899 when records were first
kept. It was the fifth worst in world history. Just as in the
days of Noah's flood, the people "knew not until the flood
came and took them all away" (Matthew 24:39).
Earthquakes and the Last Days
For many years, ministers have pointed out that Jesus
warned of future earthquakes in Matthew 24. The disciples
of Christ had asked Him, "What will be the sign of Your
coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Jesus
responded that one of the signs would be "earthquakes in

various places" (Matthew 24:7).
I have pointed out that there have always been
earthquakes of various magnitudes for centuries. However,
there has been a massive increase in the number of quakes,
the variety of their locations and the intensity of their
strength, in our generation!
For example, in 1947, 1948, and 1949, there were only
three major earthquakes during this prophetic time-frame
when Israel was re-birthed as a nation. In the year 2004
there were thousands of quakes that rocked the land masses
from one end of the earth to the other. Many people are
familiar with land earthquakes but unfamiliar with
underwater quakes. Even Jesus experienced sudden storms,
and on one occasion during an underwater quake at the Sea
of Galilee, Christ and his disciples were in a row boat
crossing a section of the lake about four to six miles wide,
when suddenly a storm struck the water.
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so
that it was already filling (Mark 4:37, 38).
Mark used the Greek lailpas, meaning a "squall, tempest,
or storm." Matthew calls the storm a "great tempest"
(Matthew 8:24). He uses a different Greek word, seismos, to
describe the storm. The word alludes to an "underwater
earthquake." Numerous underground hot springs bubble
under the edges of the Sea of Galilee, and on this occasion
there was a shaking under the water, producing huge waves
that were covering the boat! Common Galilee storms are
created by winds rushing across the rugged mountains
surrounding the lake.
Matthew says this storm was created by a shaking in the
bottom of the lake. When we say the word seismograph, we
hear the Greek word seismos in it. The entire Galilee area in
northern Israel was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.
Touring Israel today, one can observe the large dark volcanic

stones littering the landscape throughout the upper Golan
Heights. Today, the Sea of Galilee is approximately seven
miles long by six miles wide. Evening storms caused by wind
produce waves three to four feet high.
On this occasion in Christ's ministry, the tempest was
formed by a mini underwater earthquake. Powerful and
destructive tsunamis like the one recently experienced are
also caused by massive underwater earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions or the shifting of tectonic plates.
The Entire Earth Shook
Scientists frightened many people when they announced
that when this 9.0 underwater quake occurred, the entire
earth shook. Some speculated that there was a slight
shifting in the rotation of the earth. One news commentator
announced it was a disaster of "Biblical proportions."
The gentleman may have been speaking prophetically
without realizing it. The Bible predicts a time when the entire
earth is going to shake violently. At one time this verse was
considered the wild imagination of an overzealous Hebrew
prophet. Isaiah prophesied about the future of the planet.
The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is
shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and
shall totter like a hut (Isaiah 24:19, 20).
The prophet Haggai also saw a mighty shaking of the
earth and the sea:
For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once more (it is a little while) I will
shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations
(Haggai 2:6, 7).
These prophecies, once considered impossible, now seem
not only possible, but probable. Scientists are saying that
the tsunami forged a 600-mile-long crack at the bottom of
the ocean, literally causing a split at the bottom of the sea.

The 9.0 quake caused the entire earth to be moved and the
impact was so powerful that the earth actually shifted
slightly on its axis.
Prophetically, the Asian tsunami was another birth pain
from Matthew 24:
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And
there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All
these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:7, 8).
The word sorrows is an old English word used when a
pregnant woman went into labor pains. As she began to feel
the intensity of the birthing pains, it was said she was
entering the time of her sorrows. The Greek word Matthew
used is odin, which can mean a time of grieving, but also
means "birth pains." Just as believers will enter a time of
travail before Christ's return, so the earth itself will enter its
own time of birth pains which will be manifested through
famines, pestilences and earthquakes. In Romans 8:22, Paul
identified this time as the time when creation itself travails:
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth
pangs together until now.
The Scriptures, the early church fathers and
contemporary scholars have identified a time in the future as
the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:34;
Revelation 7:14). This period of intense trouble will stretch
over a seven-year period and will impact the earth and its
inhabitants. Revelation describes events that would make a
remarkable Hollywood science-fiction movie—with trees and
grass burning, portions of the water becoming undrinkable
and the sun scorching men (Revelation 8:7,8:10-11 and
16:8). As these horrifying disasters grip the earth, the author
reveals how men will react to such massive destruction
leveling them from every side.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and
the commanders, the mighty men, and every slave and every free man,

hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains (Revelation
6:15).
This prediction, penned in 95 A.D. parallels a prophecy
given to Isaiah 700 years prior to the vision of John in
Revelation.
They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the
earth, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. When He
arises to shake the earth mightily (Isaiah 2:19).
The rocks (or caves) are found in the mountains; dens
may be special, underground hiding chambers prepared by
world governments for their leaders. In the mountains of
Virginia there are several underground complexes where the
President and his cabinet could be taken in the event of a
major nuclear disaster. These underground structures are
self-contained, and people could survive there for months
and years.
Several years ago, news of a special bunker for the U.S.
Congress was leaked by a journalist. The Cathedral of Praise
in Ohio gave my family a special gift some time back—a
three night stay at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur
Springs, West Virginia. Many presidents have stayed there.
At the height of the Cold War, the government secretly
built an underground bunker next to this hotel for Congress
to use in case of a nuclear attack. It was so secretive that
only people directly connected with the building of the
bunker, or those who guarded it, were aware of it and were
sworn to secrecy.
Men who repaired the television sets in the hotel were
actually secret government officials who oversaw the care of
the bunker. It could only be entered by opening a huge wall
inside the television repair shop, located in a room just off
the convention center. The convention center, actually a part
of the bunker, had two auditoriums that could serve as the
meeting place for the House and the Senate in the event of a

nuclear attack.
My son and I toured the bunker during our stay. We
entered it from a huge concrete door which appeared to be
an entrance to an underground power plant. I was shocked
to see how the large complex had its own water filtering
system, storage areas for food, bunk beds and meeting
rooms, along with a hospital. There was also an incinerator
to burn the garbage and to burn a human body in case a
person died and they were unable to go outside for a burial.
This secret bunker was "discovered" in the early 1990s
when a reporter was investigating a company that made
safes. He noticed an old bill to the Greenbrier Hotel for
several massive iron doors and wondered what a hotel would
need with doors so massive. His investigation led the hotel to
admit that the place existed. Those who had worked at the
hotel for 20-30 years were amazed. None of them I spoke
with had ever heard a discussion or had ever known that the
large complex was right where they had been working.
Most governments have underground hideaways for their
leaders in the event of a massive attack with unconventional
weapons. Many of the secret bunkers are located in large
mountains. The Bible indicates the "kings will run to the
dens" (Revelation 6:15). The Greek word here can mean a
cavern, a hiding place or a resort. As the earth shakes, kings
and rich men will head to their "dens," and the common man
will head to the mountains or the caves. I believe the
mountains will be perceived as safer than the lowland areas
or the coastal regions. Living in a cave will become so
depressing, however, that men will ask God to allow the
rocks to fall on them (Revelation 6:16).
The Big One Is Coming to America
For years those living in California have been told to
prepare for the "Big One." Geologists are speaking of a large
earthquake that could occur at any time. The main fault line

in California is the San Andreas Fault. This fault consists of
two plates running through California: the Pacific plate on
the west and the North American plate on the east.
It is more than 800 miles long and reaches at least 10
miles deep into the earth. The prediction is that eventually
the plates will shift, causing one of the largest earthquakes
in American history. The advantage in California is that large
buildings are built and prepared to withstand strong
earthquakes.
Few people on the east coast are aware that one of the
largest fault lines in America is the New Madrid fault line. It
lies within the central Mississippi Valley and extends from
northeast Arkansas into southeast Missouri, western
Tennessee, Kentucky, and into southern Illinois. The New
Madrid area registers an average of 200 small tremors a
year. A major quake in this area is considered more
dangerous than the San Andreas area, since the ground in
the New Madrid area would make a quake more widespread.
One of the last two major quakes along the New Madrid
fault was in 1811-1812, when three quakes, estimated to
have been larger than 8.0, struck in a three-month period.
The second event was in 1895 when a 6.8 earthquake in New
Madrid was so strong that church bells rang in Boston! Both
the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers "ran backwards!"
One of the most devastating quakes came to California in
1906. Its epicenter was San Francisco. Browsing through an
antique store in Lake City, Tennessee, I came across an old
book documenting the San Francisco quake. The earthquake
struck on April 18, 1906 at 5:13 a.m. Fire burned and
crumbled buildings for four-and-a-half square miles, leaving
over 200,000 homeless. The recently revised death toll
stands at 3,000.
This book, which was the property of a public school
library in the 1940s, stated that most Americans believed the
earthquake was a sign of God's judgment on the city for its

wickedness! If a Bible believer made this same statement on
a national news program today, he would be cut to shreds
with verbal criticism and made a public mockery for saying
God would judge anyone in such a manner. Even most
Christians would act smug toward the notion.
America's gospel of prosperity and bless-me-now-if-you-
can has created a lopsided understanding of God. We know
His blessing but not His judgment. As the Bible states:
I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know
the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God (Jeremiah 5:4).
We must examine the scriptures in light of events, and
discern the reason God allows or initiates certain events. It is
interesting to note that the first record of a shaking of the
earth that took the lives of people was when Korah rebelled
against Moses (Numbers 16). In this instance, the earth
opened up, and Korah and his house fell alive into the
opening in the ground. The first shaking of the earth that
took lives was over a rebellion against God's authority!
Future shakings will come because of man's rebellion
against God.
Future Shakings
In Revelation; John predicted the most devastating
earthquake that is to occur in world history! It will happen
during the latter part of a 7-year time known in prophecy as
the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21, Revelation 7:14).
And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was
a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not
occurred since men were on the earth (Revelation 16:18).
Great in the Greek text is megas and means "exceeding
great." This earthquake will be so massive and intense that it
will cause the entire planet to reel on its axis. Such an
earthquake will cause a great change in the climate,
impacting the poles. The results of such a dramatic shifting

may be indirectly alluded to in this prophecy. After this
massive global earthquake, huge hailstones will pound the
planet and its inhabitants:
And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the
weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the
hail, since that plague was exceedingly great (Revelation 16:21).
Any major shifting in the polar ice caps would create a
change in the earth's climate, producing massive flooding,
earthquakes and huge chunks of ice falling from the sky in
the form of hail. The hail in the Bible weighs a talent. A
Jewish "talent" would equal about 113 pounds!
Earth Reels Like a Drunkard
Such violent natural disasters could create an impact on
earth similar to what the prophet Isaiah prophesied. He
described how the Lord will "punish the [proud] ones and the
kings of the earth" (v. 21).
Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste, and
distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants. Therefore the curse
has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate, therefore
the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
For the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the
earth are shaken. The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the
earth is shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a
drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; its transgression shall be heavy upon
it, and it will fall, and not rise again (Isaiah 24:1, 6, 18- 20).
What is interesting about this prophecy is that Isaiah
said, "They shall cry aloud from the sea" (v. 14). He revealed
how the Lord would be exalted "in the coastlands of the sea"
(v. 15). We must consider the possibility that this prophecy
could be fulfilled by a series of violent tsunamis occurring in
the oceans of the world and affecting the coastlands of many
nations.

The 2004 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra may have
occurred five miles under the ocean, but it was equal to the
power of a million atomic bombs, according to Kerry Sieh of
the California Institute of Technology.
Richard Gross, a geophysicist with NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in California, said it may have made the earth
wobble. He said it appeared the massive quake caused the
earth to spin three microseconds, or three millionths of a
second, faster, and tilt about an inch on its axis. He also
said this slight change was unlikely to cause any long-term
effects.
Another strange effect of such a large quake is that it
could actually cause the day to be shortened. According to
scientists, such a quake in the area of these tectonic plates
could cause the earth's rotation to be changed. This would
eventually shorten the day by a small margin. If a major slab
slid down in the earth's core, the earth's rotation would
slightly increase. If it were pushed away, the opposite would
occur.
In light of these possibilities and in light of the fact that
more tsunamis are expected in the future, it becomes clearer
how certain unusual prophecies COULD be fulfilled.
Shortening the Days
The time of the Great Tribulation will be so terrible that
Jesus warned:
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but
for the elect's sake those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:22).
This passage has been debated for centuries. If the time
of Tribulation has already been set, then how could the days
be shortened? A normal day is 24 hours and a normal solar
year is 365.25 days. How does one "shorten the days?"
In Revelation, John tells us that the Tribulation will be
two 42-month periods (Revelation 11:2; 13:5). John further

explained how these two periods of 42 months each were
divided into 1,260 days and 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3;
12:6).
A normal solar year has 365.25 days; however, the length
of the Tribulation is calculated as 360 days making a year.
Why is each year shortened by slightly over five days?
One explanation is that God's original calendar is a 360-
day year, not a 365.25-day solar year. Therefore, if God is
using His prophetic time compared to our present solar time,
there would be a difference of about 35 days.
Comparing the Calendars
Solar Calendar Prophetic Calendar
365.25 days a year 360 days a year
7 years = 2,556.75 days 7 year tribulation = 2,520 days
The prophetic calendar is 36.25 days shorter than the
solar calendar. Therefore, the time of the Tribulation would
be "shortened" by slightly over 36 days, using God's calendar
of 360 days making a year.
Another possible explanation could involve future
tsunamis and earthquakes that could change the rotation of
the earth and literally shorten the days. It is difficult to
definitely say that this is how this strange prophecy will
come to pass. When the Hebrew prophets foresaw the earth
reeling and shaking like a drunk, with massive numbers of
casualties and deaths, we can now see how these unusual
predictions could come to pass in our time. A massive
shifting of the tectonic plates under the sea would cause:
An earthquake, which would knock down buildings
A massive tsunami, bringing walls of water to the
coastlines

A shaking of the planet, changing the rotation of the
earth
When Isaiah saw the earth being shaken, he also
mentioned the cry of the sea and the coastlands. Again, the
prophetic word identifies the sea and the coastlines as places
of future trouble. Several of the future Biblical judgments
that will impact the sea and the marine life are recorded in
Revelation. Prophecy tells of a huge meteorite set to strike
the earth during the future Tribulation:
Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven,
burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of
water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became
wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made
bitter (Revelation 8:10, 11).
John saw a burning star fall from heaven and strike the
earth. This no doubt alludes to a large meteorite hitting a
certain section of the earth. The meteorite will be named
wormwood. This falling star will affect the drinking water
making a third of the rivers and springs of water bitter, and
even causing death in a third of the world.
If a large meteorite impacted any ocean of the world, it
would produce huge tidal waves, bringing gigantic walls of
water crashing over the coastlines of the continents. Most
scientists speculate that dinosaurs were wiped out by a
major event such as a meteorite. With the combination of
volcanic eruptions, Underwater earthquakes and falling
stars, one can easily see how these strange prophecies
concerning the judgments of God during the 7-year
Tribulation can literally come to pass.
On several occasions, large meteorites have passed the
earth. Many scientists fear that in the future a large falling
star could hit the planet, causing untold damage and
disaster to the earth, along with millions of lives lost. As the
birth pains and early signs of the times begin to come to

pass, these events will cause a major shaking of the nations.
This phenomenon was predicted by inspired men of God in
the Holy Scriptures.

Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea
and dry land; and I will shake all nations ... they shall come to the
Desire of All Nations ... and I will fill this temple with glory," says the
Lord of hosts (Haggai 2:6, 7).
2
2 The Shaking of the Nations
ot until the tsunami struck had I ever taken a close look
at the number of passages where the Hebrew prophets
warned the kings of Babylon, Egypt, Tyre and Lebanon of
coming judgment. These prophecies were identified as the
"shaking of the nations" by several of the Hebrew prophets
(Ezekiel 31:16; Haggai 2:7).
N
In Haggai's prophecy, the man of God lists four things
that will experience this future shaking from God:
The heavens will be shaken.
The earth will be shaken.
The sea will be shaken.
The dry land will be shaken.
The Hebrew word for "shake" in Haggai, ra'ash, is
translated in the Kings James Bible as "move," "quake,"
"shake," "tremble" and "to make afraid." Reviewing the
prophecy of Haggai, one can see how these predictions will
come to pass. The earth will be shaken through major
shifting in the earth's underwater plates. The sea will be
shaken though a tsunami or a major storm on the sea. The
shaking of dry land alludes to a major earthquake. The
heavens shaking, no doubt, refers to the many predictions
that large stars (meteorites) will fall from heaven and strike

the earth.
These prophetic shakings are clearly visible throughout
the Book of Revelation during the 7-year Great Tribulation.
1. The shaking of the heavens. And the stars of heaven
fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it
is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a
scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and
island was moved out of its place (Revelation 6:13, 14).
2. The shaking of the earth and dry land. And there
were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there
was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great
earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the
earth. Then every island fled away, and the mountains
were not found (Revelation 16:18, 20).
3. The shaking of the sea. Then the second angel poured
out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a
dead man; and every living creature in the sea died
(Revelation 16:3).
These scriptures identify judgments released by angels
during the Tribulation. Those living on earth will view these
judgments as natural disasters, but those in heaven
understand they are the judgments of God. These sins
include the shedding of innocent blood, fornication,
worshiping idols and persecuting the righteous. These
destructive acts will have a great impact on the shipping
industry and commerce throughout the world (Revelation
18:17-24).
The Old Testament Patterns
In Old Testament times, the world's leading commercial
and sea powers were Babylon, Assyria, Lebanon and Egypt.
These nations built ships and used seaports to distribute
goods across the Mediterranean, the Nile region, and the
Euphrates and Tigris River valley. They had contact with

THE SHAKING OF THE NATIONS / 89
merchants from other nations, and most had a thriving
fishing industry. Imports and exports helped build wealth in
these nations.
A major judgment against these nations always impacted
their economy in a negative manner. Whenever the fishing
industry was ruined, fishermen were left without an income.
When the ports were destroyed, the merchantmen and ship
owners were left without means to create income or receive
and distribute goods.
Ezekiel gave a prophetic word against the King of Tyre
(Lebanon) in Ezekiel 26. God warned the inhabitants of the
city that the Babylonians would invade them. The Almighty
said, "I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations
to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come
up" (Ezekiel 26:3). The reaction of the surrounding nations
to Tyre's destruction is recorded by Ezekiel:
Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: "Will the coastlands not shake at the
sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the
midst of you? Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their
thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments;
they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground,
tremble every moment, and be astonished at you. And they will take up a
lamentation for you (Ezekiel 26:15-17).
During early times in ancient Israel, the Philistines were a
large tribe settled along the coastal areas of Israel. They
inhabited five major cities with strong connections to all the
major shipping ports on the Mediterranean Sea. When God
was preparing judgment for this people, the Philistines, the
prophet Ezekiel warned them of the destruction of their
seacoast:
Thus says the Lord God: "I will stretch out My hand against the
Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the
seacoast. I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes;
and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I lay My vengeance upon

them" (Ezekiel 25:16, 17).
Millions of people from countless tribes and nations live
in the coastlands, on islands and near oceans or large seas.
The Mediterranean Sea is the water bridge connecting
northern Africa, Israel, Lebanon, parts of Asia, and Europe.
America has the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
A future tsunami, volcanic eruption or earthquake can
and will affect the coastlines and the populations living near
them. This will create tragedies of Biblical proportions.
A Warning to the Nations
When a major event occurs (a global war, devastating
earthquake or some other major disaster) it raises questions:
Was this from God or from Satan, or was it just a bizarre
natural disaster?
This is a politically correct time in America. We don't
want to offend someone whose beliefs may differ from ours.
This often weakens preaching from the pulpits and tends to
motivate ministers to emphasize only the positive. They tend
to be overly optimistic about the future, even when warnings
of future judgment are clear from prophetic scriptures.
Ministers often appear to be "dueling prophets"—one
warning of the trouble to come and another rejecting the
warning and predicting great prosperity in spite of man's
wickedness.
Despite self-inspired, positive prophecies, the wrath of
God's judgment will eventually be poured out on Gentile
nations. Can an event that takes hundreds of thousands of
lives be classified as an act of God? Is it a warning to idol-
worshiping nations to search out the Creator of mankind
and the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ? The phrase
"judgment of God" creates different images and concepts to
those who hear it. Just what is the Biblical definition of
God's judgment?

Defining the Judgment of God
The common Hebrew word in the Old Testament for
"judgment" is mishpat, meaning "passing a verdict, either
favorable or unfavorable." It alludes to God's passing
sentence on situations involving His people. When we speak
of God sending judgment to a nation, He is sending a
judgment based evidence against the nation.
An Old Testament example was God's judgment against
Sodom and Gomorrah. Prior to its destruction, the Lord
informed Abraham of His plans (Genesis 18:17-21). Abraham
requested the cities be spared if 10 righteous people could be
found, and the Lord agreed.
Then God sent two angels (two witnesses) into the city to
verify that the wickedness was great. Not only could they not
find 10 righteous, but the men of the city rose up and
attempted to physically seduce the two angels who had
appeared in the form of two men (Genesis 19:5). Only four
righteous people were found, therefore the cities were
destroyed once the righteous were gone from the area.
Ezekiel revealed the major sins that caused God's wrath
to be unleashed on those cities. The sins included pride,
fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, not caring for the
needy and of course, the abomination of same-sex
relationships (Ezekiel 16:49, 50). Once the verdict was given,
destruction came suddenly and unexpectedly to the cities.
In the New Testament the word judgment is used in
several ways. A judgment hall was where religious leaders
and the High Priest met to determine legal action. This was
where Christ stood trial (John 18:28). Another word for
judgment refers to the heavenly judgment of the righteous
and the unrighteous. The righteous will receive rewards at
the judgment seat of Christ, bema (Romans 14:10-14), and
the unrighteous and sinners will stand before the Great
White Throne Judgment as predicted in Revelation 20:11-15.

Another meaning of judgment in the New Testament is the
ability to correctly discern, or to have perception in a matter
(Philippians 1:9). In 1 Corinthians 7:25, Paul speaks of
giving his "judgment" concerning virgins marrying in the
church.
The Greek word in this passage means "to give an opinion
based on information." One remaining word for judgment in
the New Testament is the Greek word krima, which means to
condemn something in a court of law, or to make a decision
against a crime which was committed.
In America our local, regional and nationally elected
leaders have passed laws protecting individuals and their
property. When these laws are broken, punishment is
pronounced on the guilty party. This punishment may
involve doing some type of community service time, or the
restitution of money or goods. In many cases, it involves
varying degrees of incarceration. If a person is found guilty of
murder, he often faces life in prison or the death penalty.
We don't think twice if the judicial system condemns a
mass murderer to die, but many have difficulty
understanding why God permits His judgment to come upon
rebellious and ungodly nations whose sins infect the
population like contagious gangrene.
How Is Judgment Revealed?
God is the creator of all elements, including earth, wind,
fire and water. The earth rotates at the proper speed and is
positioned in the heavens at the perfect distance from the
sun. This prevents humans from being scorched by the sun
or frozen to death by being positioned too far from the sun.
The rain falls in proper seasons and the waves of the ocean
beat against the shore about 26 times per minute.
It is amazing how gravity holds things down, and how the
earth can rotate so fast without falling apart. This is because
God is "upholding all things by the word of His power"

(Hebrews 1:3).
When God decides to judge His creation, he often allows
four main elements of creation to manifest His wrath. These
elements are listed, with an example of the form they take.
Element Manifestation Example
The Water Floods, Tsunamis Genesis 7, 8
The Fire Volcanoes, Fires Genesis 19
The Wind Hurricanes/Tornados Genesis 11*
The Earth Earthquakes Numbers 16
* (A Jewish tradition holds that a strong and
mighty wind blew down the tower.)
The devastation caused by these "natural" elements can
be seen by looking at the three geographical divisions of the
United Sates. Each division is occasionally impacted by one
or two of the above natural elements. For example:
The west coast is under the continuous threat of
earthquakes and strange fires breaking out in the high
mountains during the dry seasons.
The central U.S. is often hit with tornadoes, flooding and,
at times, terrible droughts.
The east coast gets slammed with hurricanes.
These elements may hit a small town or several
communities during any 12-month period. When a disaster
impacts the entire nation and its damage and destruction
are beyond normal limits, then we must ask ourselves if
there is a divine link to what has happened.
As believers, we know that if God judged the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah and judged Jerusalem and Israel for

dishonoring His Word and breaking His commandments,
then America and other nations of the world are in line for
our own seasons of trouble unless there is a massive
repentance and turning to God.
What Is Holding Back the Judgment of God?
What is restraining a sudden manifestation of God's
judgment? Countless countries are filled with idolatry,
adultery, fornication, the shedding of innocent blood and the
persecution of dedicated Christians. Should God allow
nations to continue mocking His people and His Word, and
permit them to deceive the masses into worshiping dead
religious idols who can't even feed themselves or speak?
It is clear from the story of Lot that the presence of
righteous and godly people is a restraint against God's
judgment. When Lot fled Sodom, he requested to move to a
small city in the mountains called Zoar. This city is one of
five that should have been destroyed, but Lot's presence
caused the angel to restrain judgment on this small
community.
The presence of a righteous man helped hold back a
planned judgment against Zoar (Genesis 19:17-23). This is
why some scholars believe that born-again believers will be
taken to heaven prior to the 7-year Tribulation. Even the
angels in Lot's day could not release fire on Sodom and
Gomorrah until Lot was safe in Zoar!
[The angel] said to [Lot], "See, I have favored you concerning this
thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken.
Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there"
(Genesis 19:21, 22).
The apostle Paul mentioned a restrainer keeping the man
of sin (the Antichrist) from being revealed (2 Thessalonians
2). The apostle Peter taught that the heavens and earth are
being kept in store, "reserved for fire until the day of

judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Peter. 3:7). We
are living in a time when God is restraining judgment that
could come at any moment. He is patient and longsuffering
toward humanity. As the apostle Peter said, God is "not
willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
When man's cup of iniquity is full and humankind has
crossed the line of God's patience, then God's wrath will be
released across the entire planet, thus creating the final
Tribulation. The ultimate time of God's wrath and judgment
on sinful nations is being reserved for the seven years of
Tribulation.
Between now and then the world will see and experience
periods of selective judgment and intense birth pangs as we
approach the time of Christ's return. When a major labor
pain impacts this planet, we must not think the Great
Tribulation has arrived. These events are only precursors of
coming prophetic events. They are signs, however, of birth
pangs, or the "beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:7, 8). The
closer we move to the return of Christ, the more common,
the more frequent and the more intense the birth pangs will
become.
The Nations and the Tsunami
The size of the land mass that felt the impact of the
tsunami was equal to the size of the United States! Twelve
nations and the small islands of the Seychelles felt various
levels of impact from the 2004 tsunami. In the Bible,
numbers are significant and often carry a prophetic
meaning.
For example, in the Scriptures the number three always
alludes to unity; the number six is the number for man, and
the number seven is completion. Twelve is a number for
government and divine order. The 12 sons of Jacob formed a
nation called Israel. Twelve disciples formed the nucleus of

the original church. Revelation 5 tells of 24 elders, or 12
multiplied twice.
In any disaster with global repercussions there is usually
a prophetic parallel that can be discerned from the
Scripture. After the tsunami struck the coastlines of these
nations, I began to question, "What do the nations which
suffered the most loss have in common?"—other than they
are all in the Pacific Rim and are considered a part of Asia? A
month after the tsunami, the 12 main nations affected
reported:
Nation Population Death Toll
Indonesia 228,437,870 237,071
Sri Lanka 19,905,165 30,957
India 1,029,991,145 16,389
Thailand 61,797,751 5,393
Somalia 8,304,601 298
Maldives 310,764 108
Myanmar 48,000,000 90
Malaysia 22,229,040 74
Tanzania 36,588,225 10
Bangladesh 131,269,860 2
South Africa 36,588,225 2
Kenya 32,021,856 1
In addition, 3,071 people are listed as missing in
Thailand and 5,637 in Sri Lanka, but will not be counted in
the death toll until they are missing for a year. (The small
islands of the Seychelles had three deaths). Among the three

main nations where the destruction and loss of lives was
greatest—Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka—their religious
beliefs represent three non-Christian religions of the world.
The major religions of these three countries are:
Country Religion
Indonesia 95 percent Muslim
India 81 percent Hindu
Sri Lanka 70 percent Buddhist
Each of these three nations has a remnant of Christians
who are attempting to practice their faith under great
persecution and often under life-threatening situations.
Each country has one main thing in common as it relates to
Christianity—all three have persecuted, beaten and, at
times, killed Christians. They have also burned down or shut
down numerous Christian churches.
In Indonesia, there are pockets of so-called "jihadists."
Missionary friends have been stopped by men waving red
flags and wearing red bandanas who force cars to stop and
give a financial donation to Islam. In all three countries,
churches are under some form of government pressure and
continual threat. They could be bombed during a service or
have their building burned during the night.
Larger Christian churches that can afford it often have
bomb squads with bomb-sniffing dogs to sweep their
buildings before services begin. Over 600 Christian churches
have been burned to the ground. Thousands of practicing
Christians have no building in which to meet because their
structure was burned by Islamic fanatics.
Fanatical Hindus have been persecuting Christians and
burning churches in India for years. A missionary and his
two sons were burned alive in their vehicle a few years ago.

Many Indians want a completely Hindu nation, and want to
ban all other religions. A missionary friend has been banned
from India. The government there told him he was making
too many Christian converts.
India recently passed laws limiting evangelism. Hindi
fanatics continually harass and persecute anyone whose
beliefs are opposite their own. Perhaps the most striking
story of the tsunami occurred on the small island of Sri
Lanka, just off the southeastern point of India.
In December 2003, two Buddhist monks began a
campaign to persecute Christians there. An American
missionary called a fast, then prophesied that God was going
to judge the two men. The next day one of the men dropped
dead, and the following day, the other monk died suddenly.
This infuriated the other Buddhist leaders, and they came
after the American and began a campaign of persecution on
Christmas Day, 2003.
This was exactly one year before the tsunami struck their
island!
In December 2004, three weeks before the tsunami
devastated the Sri Lanka coastline, the largest Catholic
church in the nation was burned to the ground by Buddhist
fanatics. The reason this is significant is that God gave
warnings about persecuting and killing the righteous. He
warned that those engaged in this activity would "drink of
the wine of the wrath of God" (Revelation 14:10). Twice God's
wrath is said to be placed in a cup: a "cup of His indignation"
(Revelation 14:10), and the "cup of the wine of the fierceness
of His wrath" (Revelation 16:19).
For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: "Take this wine cup of fury
from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.
And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I
will send among them" (Jeremiah 25:15,16).
Ezekiel also speaks of the cup that God gives, which

ungodly men must drink. He explained that idol worship is
one of the primary reasons that God's anger is poured out.
I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after
the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols. You have
walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand
(Ezekiel 23:30, 31).
One reason for these violent judgments during the
Tribulation is that the nations have shed the blood of
righteous men and women. They persecute those who believe
in and have accepted Jesus Christ. The individuals who are
killed for the gospel are identified in Revelation:
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of
those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which
they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord,
holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell
on the earth?" (Revelation 6:9, 10).
The wrath of God will strike the nations in the future
because of the cry of innocent blood that has been shed on
earth. The blood of millions of martyrs cries out from the
dust to Almighty God. As men and women drink from the
cup of God's anger, they will literally be drinking from waters
polluted by storms, volcanic eruptions and meteorites. The
angel of the Lord explains the reason for this judgment:
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have
given them blood to drink. For it is their just due (Revelation 16:6).
When God sees His covenant children slain by religious
fanatics and persecuted by those who worship idols and
false gods, the wrath of God is eventually released against
those nations and individuals. This occurred in Egypt prior
to the exodus of the Hebrews. Scholars note that when 10
plagues were sent from God against the Egyptians, there
were 10 gods of the Egyptians that should have, but could
not, stop the plagues. God's 10 acts of judgment were
actually an attack on and a mockery against the helpless

idols of the Egyptians.
Attacking the Idol Gods
Lest someone think this prophetic observation is the wild
imagination of a Bible-thumping preacher, let us examine
the parallel warnings God gave to ancient Israel and see how
these same warnings and judgments are proactive today.
The only true God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. His inspired Word was given to the Hebrew prophets
who penned the words of the Bible. One feature that marks
Scripture above other religious writings is the prophecy in
the Bible. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophets to write
about events that would transpire thousands of years later.
Prophetic students and scholars note that when Bible
prophecies come to pass, they occur with such pinpoint
accuracy, that this alone would indicate the inspiration of
the written Word.
Because there is only one true God, He despises idol
worship. The utter foolishness of a man creating an image of
wood, metal or stone and bowing before it is utterly useless.
God often mocks idol worshippers in Scripture, just as Elijah
mocked the false prophets of Baal who were unable to call
fire down from heaven on their sacrifices (1 Kings 18).
Many of the Asian rim nations worship numerous false
gods and idols. For example, India is 81 percent Hindu. The
Hindu religion has millions of gods, one representing every
living thing. The top three gods are Shiva, Ganesh and
Vishnu. Different regions of India worship different types of
gods.
Not far from where the tsunami struck in India, there is a
rat temple where millions of rats are adored and worshiped.
Thousands of locals bring food to the rats every morning and
evening, believing they are appeasing the rat god. Although
many families may experience a shortage of food, the rats
are well fed every day. In Sri Lanka, not far from where the

tsunami struck, there is a Buddhist temple which claims to
have the tooth of the founder of Buddhism.
It is clear that nations like these have millions of people
in spiritual darkness who believe their idols control all
things. However, these gods were not able to provide
protection from the disaster, and cannot heal their sick or
provide needed food for relief.
Indonesia's main religion is Islam. Many Muslims in
Indonesia are considered moderate, but many others want
every vestige of the Christian faith removed from the
Indonesian islands. Christians have lived under threats for
years, and continue to do so. Muslims pray to Allah, which
they teach is an Arabic form of God's name. Many scholars
point out, however, that this name existed in the time of
Mohammad and is actually a name which identified a moon
deity worshiped by many Arab tribes living then.
In the Bible, one of the major sins that God continually
rebuked Israel and the nations for was the sin of idolatry.
The Hebrew prophets often identified the root source of
God's anger as His frustration with the nations for turning to
a man-made object and calling it a god. When nations
honored false gods, then those nations, including Israel,
were sent a warning, followed by an act of judgment.
Three Sins That Bring God's Judgment
Jeremiah screamed out his warnings to Israel prior to the
Babylonian invasion. The ancient Hebrew prophet listed
three main sins that removed God's favor and lifted God's
hedge from Israel, thus opening the door to Israel's enemies
to invade the land and capture the Jews and the Temple
wealth.
1. They burned incense to other gods (Jeremiah 19:4).
2. They built high places of idol worship (Jeremiah 19:5).
3. They filled Jerusalem with innocent blood (Jeremiah

19:4).
Many nations on the Asian rim have large, ancient
temples erected to various gods where they burn incense to
their idols daily. In many of the mountainous regions,
temples are erected on high places to be "closer" to the
heavens. Innocent blood is shed when civil and religious
wars take innocent lives and when many Christians lay
down their lives for the gospel.
In Jeremiah God warned that judgment would come as a
result of these sins. The passage creates an eerie feeling
when it is compared with events linked to the tsunami.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Behold, disaster shall go forth from
nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the farthest
parts of the earth.
"And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the
earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or
gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground" (Jeremiah
25:32, 33).
This is not a prophecy for Israel only. God said disaster
will go from one nation to another. The King James Bible
said the whirlwind will "come from the coasts of the earth."
The Hebrew word coasts is used three times in Jeremiah
(25:32; 31:8; 50:41), and means "the border," "the coasts,"
"the quarter side."
Jeremiah predicted the people slain would not be
lamented, gathered or buried. It is impossible to conduct a
normal, physical funeral for someone missing after a
tsunami or who has drowned at sea. It is also impossible to
gather together missing bodies. So many victims lay on the
ground for days. It was the saddest and most moving sight I
have seen in many years. The pictures aired around the
world are similar to the prophetic warning from Jeremiah!

The Bigger Question
If a person assumes that this terrible event was a divine
warning to the idol worshiping, Christian-persecuting
nations, then a most difficult question is, "Why did so many
innocent people, including children, suffer?" Why the
innocent and the children suffer brings a great division of
opinions among theologians discussing disasters and
tragedies. If we say the disaster was the wrath of God, then
God is viewed by the rationalists as some angry, cosmic deity
who gets pleasure out of innocent people suffering. If we
believe the tragedy serves as a warning to the nations then
the question arises, "Why didn't God take out just the idol
worshipers, or the Christian-killers and some of their
temples? Why did tourists and people who were visiting
those nations encounter such a sudden tragedy?"
When Jeremiah was giving his warnings of impending
disaster on Israel, he made a powerful statement: "And the
peaceful dwellings are cut down because of the fierce anger
of the Lord" (Jeremiah 25:37). When trouble strikes, good
and bad people are often in the middle of the disaster.
1. Jesus taught that the heavenly Father "makes His sun
rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45, 46). As long as
good and bad people live on the same planet, they will
both experience trouble when it comes to an area. Just
because a person is righteous does not exempt him
from tragedy. Christians lose their homes in floods,
hurricanes and tornadoes. The difference in the
righteous and the unrighteous is that an unbeliever is
left feeling hopeless, but believers can still maintain
their faith in God and have peace in the midst of the
storm.
2. People are in the wrong place at the wrong time on
occasion. Through the years I have heard amazing
stories of believers who were warned by the Holy Spirit

not to take a journey or go to a certain place. They later
learned that a terrorist act or a natural disaster had
occurred, and they would have been in the center of
the danger.
Others, who may not have been as sensitive to the
Spirit, were in harm's way. We must learn to follow the
inner nudging of the Holy Spirit who can "show you
things to come" and even warn you of dangers that lie
ahead (John 16:13; Acts 20:22-24).
3. God's blessings flowed through Israel as long as they
followed His commandments. As the nations turned to
idolatry, God sent famine, pestilence and the sword to
mock the prayers to the idol gods. No idol could stop
the Almighty's hand of wrath.
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the
astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and
save you from what shall come upon you.
Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them; they shall
not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; it shall not be a coal to
be warmed by, nor a fire to sit before! Thus shall they be to you with
whom you have labored, your merchants from your youth; they shall
wander each one to his quarter. No one shall save you (Isaiah 47:13-15).
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you who have
escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge. Who carry the wood
of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save (Isaiah 45:20).
Ironically, we expect wicked people to experience bad
things and good people to always experience good things.
When we heard that Saddam's sons were killed, many said,
"They deserved what they got. The Lord's vengeance was
upon them." However, when good people are killed, believers
comment, "This should not have happened. What did they do
to deserve this?"
Good or bad people experiencing trouble is not always
linked to what a person deserves. Sometimes it simply rains

on the just and the unjust. A natural disaster is sometimes
the consequence of living on a cursed earth that is travailing
and waiting to be delivered. At other times, warnings may
have been ignored. Lot's sons-in-law and daughters mocked
him when he warned them the city would be destroyed. They
refused the warning and suffered along with the wicked in
the city (Genesis 19:12-14).
What About Innocent Children?
To those who believe and accept the Bible, it is
understandable that God would permit a judgment to be
made against murderers, idolaters, fornicators, liars, thieves
and others. But it is difficult for both Christians and non-
Christians to fathom why the Almighty permits small,
innocent children to die at such an early age. Often people
ask, "What have they done wrong to "deserve" this? This
question has initiated heated debates between theologians,
ministers and lay people, especially those raising a family.
First, consider the children who have died at the hands of
wicked men and through false religious worship. In the days
of the Pharaoh of Egypt, a decree was made that all male
Hebrew children born to Hebrew mothers were to be
drowned in the river by the Egyptian midwives (Exodus
1:22).
Inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem once worshiped an idol
called Molech, an iron god that had the appearance of a cow
from the waist up and a human from the waist down. An
opening in its belly was heated with tar and wood. Children
were passed through the fire of Molech to appease this idol
(2 Kings 16:3; 17:17; 21:6; 23:10). Some scholars believe
that infants were actually thrown into the burning belly of
this Canaanite deity.
In the New Testament, Herod had all infants under two
years slain by Roman soldiers in and around Bethlehem
(Matthew 2:16). From early history, innocent children have

suffered at the hands of wicked and cruel men. Time would
fail to mention the children who died during history's wars,
famines and pestilences. Imagine the innocent children who
suffered both starvation and eventual death at the hands of
the Nazis during the holocaust. Some estimate that 1.5
million victims of Hitler's holocaust were children!
Judgment and Children
When judgment came in Noah's day as the great flood, all
mankind and animals were drowned in the murky, rushing
waters, including infants and children. In Lot's day we have
no recorded number of infants and children who may have
been living with parents in the four burning cities. The same
can be said of the Roman invasion of Jerusalem in the year
70 A.D., an event prophesied by Christ that wreaked total
destruction on Jerusalem and the Temple (Matthew 24:2).
Knowing the destruction of Jerusalem and the future
Great Tribulation would be so terrible, Jesus warned, "Woe
to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing
babies in those days!" (Matthew 24:19). When children are
affected by wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences and
other judgments, it moves our hearts.
This was true with the Pharaoh of Egypt. God sent nine
plagues to destroy crops, cattle, the water and the land.
Nothing moved Pharaoh until the 10th plague hit his home.
He and all the Egyptians lost their firstborn sons to the angel
of death (Exodus 12). Pharaoh lost a son who was heir to the
throne. This judgment finally broke the stony heart of
Egypt's dictator. The death of children often stirs more
compassion and humility than anything else.
Jesus Loves the Children
It may seem like a contradiction to say that God allows
judgment to come even when children are involved, and then
talk about how much Jesus loves children! The Bible reveals

that Christ had much to say about children. During His
earthly ministry Christ spent time blessing children (Mark
10:13).
When the disciples attempted to stop children from
seeking Jesus' attention, He rebuked them and said, "Let the
little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of
such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:14). Jesus also stated
that whoever would receive a little child in his name was also
receiving Him (Mark 9:37). On one occasion, Jesus said that
angels watch over children:
Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to
you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in
heaven (Matthew 18:10).
If Christ loves children and angels are guarding their
steps, then why are children starving in Africa, India and
other third world nations. Why did so many children die in
the Asian tsunami?
Mercy Through Death
In Judaism there is a belief that a child is not responsible
for his own sins until he reaches the age of 13. On the 13th
birthday, religious Jews celebrate bar-mitzvah, a ceremony
identifying the child as a young adult, now responsible for
his own sins. Christians often speak of the "age of
accountability," when a child is personally responsible for
his own sins and for answering to God for his own choices.
Many believe, as I do, that the age of accountability may
vary, depending on the child's mental and spiritual maturity.
However, age 12 or 13 seems to be an age where adolescence
kicks in and the child enters a mental, spiritual and physical
age of personal accountability and responsibility.
I and many others believe that prior to this age, if a child
dies he goes to be with the Lord. One example is when King
David's illegitimate child was stricken with an illness shortly

after its birth. The king fasted seven days for the infant's
recovery but in the end the child died. David said:
But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I
shall go to him, but he shall not return to me (2 Samuel 12:23).
David knew his child's soul and spirit had gone on to be
with the Lord, and he could not raise the infant from the
dead. He did realize, however, that one day he would die and
his soul and spirit would join his son's.
Many children in the world live in terrible poverty,
starvation and great distress. God allows death at times
because He does not wish to see the little ones suffer any
more. At death, their souls and spirits are carried by the
angels to a place called paradise (Luke 16:22; 2 Corinthians
12:2-4).
Imagine the moment when they leave the hunger, pain
and suffering of this life and are escorted into the third
heaven, a paradise where the angels care for the soul and
spirit! When small children die in third world countries, I call
it mercy through death. Years ago, a missionary friend
traveled to Africa, to the heart of a nation where famine and
starvation were sweeping the bush like a deadly plague. He
saw children whose physical bodies were simply skeletons
with a layer of dark skin.
At first he questioned God: Why did these people suffer?
He knew that the government was corrupt and evil. He knew
that bribery, child abuse and false religion abounded in that
place. He knew the leaders cared only for their own
prosperity and allowed their people to suffer in an
inexcusable way.
Then he realized that through natural death these
children were freed from these terrible conditions and
released into God's presence.

In Times of Judgment
If the Almighty initiates judgment on a nation or series of
nations, children will inevitably be caught in the middle. Yet,
consider what many face. They are being raised in poverty by
a family who worships idols and gives their food to stone
gods at some man-made temple.
In many countries, children are sexually molested by
family members and friends, and forced to beg in the streets.
In India, some parents will physically maim a child and
make him a beggar on the streets.
If a child dies before the age of accountability, the Lord
extends a special mercy for the soul of the innocent. When
the child becomes an adult, however, and begins practicing
idolatry, adultery, fornication and other ungodly things, that
soul is responsible for his own actions and accountability.
The death of the righteous and the innocent keep them from
seeing the evil days which are coming:
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; and merciful
and devout men are taken away, with no one considering that the
uncompromisingly upright and godly person is taken away from the
calamity and evil to come [even through wickedness] (Isaiah 57:1, AMP).
The righteous pass away; the godly often die before their time. And no
one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God
is protecting them from the evil to come (Isaiah 57:1, NLT).
When an innocent child passes, God could be sparing
him from the trouble he could experience in the future. The
book of Jasher says that the Lord takes the righteous away
so they will not be grieved by the sin and wickedness that is
coming to the earth. If Christ tarries we will all die, either by
old age, a physical infirmity, an accident, or some form of
disaster. The physical body is still subject to death.

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the
Son of Man: they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given
in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood
came and destroyed them all (Luke 17:26, 27).
3
3 Parallels to the Days of
Noah
he things which have been are the things which shall be
(Ecclesiastes 1:9, 10). In other words, the future has
already been revealed through incidents from the past. Jesus
made it clear that the time of His return would be like two
previous time periods in Biblical history—the days of Noah
and the days of Lot.
T
These two periods of history are recorded in the Book of
Genesis. The days of Noah were the times and seasons just
before the universal flood. The days of Lot were the events
which preceded the destruction of the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah. Christ gave us clues that these two time periods
would parallel events just before His return. Ministers often
point out the common link between our present society and
the days of Noah and Lot, which are recorded in Luke 17:26-
30. These parallel signs include:
Eating
Drinking
Marrying
Building

Planting
Selling
Buying
After researching the Scriptures, I always felt there were
more clues to the days of Noah and Lot than just the ones
penned in the Gospel of Luke. The story of Noah and the
flood is told in Genesis 6-9. The incident involving Lot and
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is recorded in
Genesis 19. I began to carefully examine each verse in
Genesis to see if other clues were evident, paralleling our day
with these important historic accounts.
I observed two main elements linked to the times of Noah
and Lot. In Noah's day the central feature was water, and in
Lot's day the central feature of the story was fire and
brimstone. How does rain and fire and brimstone connect
important prophetic parallels to our generation? A prophecy
by Christ may hold the clue to the parallels of Noah's time.
Roaring of the Sea
Jesus said that one of the signs prior to His return would
come from the sea. A large percentage of the surface of the
earth is water, and there are numerous seas and oceans
separating the continents. Jesus warned that there would be
dangerous activity occurring in the sea prior to His return.
And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and
on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves
roaring (Luke 21:25).
Other translations of this verse say:
Distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the
billows (NAS).
Dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the
waves (NASB).

PARALLELS TO THE DAYS OF NOAH / 89
Distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and
perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not
knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the
sea (AMP).
And down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by
the roaring seas and strange tides (NLT).
Men are always concerned with being in control of their
lives and destiny. Numerous things in life men cannot
control, however; and most involve the weather and nature.
Men cannot control the heat the sun produces.
Men cannot control the snow that falls.
Men cannot control the amount of rain that falls.
Men cannot control the waves of the sea.
Men cannot control a hurricane that is coming from off
the water.
Man may predict the path of a tornado or hurricane,
project the time for a storm, or forecast when a snow squall
will hit a region, but man cannot restrain the power of the
weather. These powers are in the control of God and His
sovereign will.
Those living on the east coast of the United States know
too well man's inability to control the path of a storm,
especially hurricanes!
Hurricanes on the Sea
Hurricanes which eventually strike the east coast of the
United States usually form in the southern Atlantic Ocean,
off the western coast of Africa; or in the Gulf of Mexico. They
gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean
waters. The evaporation of sea water increases their power.
Winds must reach a minimum of 74 miles per hour before

being classified a hurricane. The storm may be 400 miles
wide, and the eye is generally 20 to 30 miles wide.
Hurricanes can spin for up to two weeks over open waters.
Two natural elements of nature cause a roaring of the sea:
a tsunami and a hurricane! Moments before a tsunami
strikes land, eyewitnesses describe hearing a roaring sound
coming from the sea! When a hurricane moves inland, the
high impact winds create a suction in and around buildings
that sounds like a dull, loud roar from the wind and the
water.
Hurricanes Over Florida
In 2004, the residents of Florida were stunned by four
major hurricanes entering the coastlines of the state. The
last time three major hurricanes spun through Florida,
causing such severe weather, was in 1964, 40 years ago. The
four major hurricanes were Charlie (August 14), Frances
(September 5), Ivan (September 16), and Jeanne (September
25). Estimated damage in Florida was $21 billion!
The 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in December 2004 were
the worst in 40 years, and the Florida hurricanes were the
worst in 40 years. The last time such deadly devastation
occurred was in 1964, a few months after prayer and Bible
reading were removed from the public schools in North
America! It is ironic that 40 years after the Supreme Court
decided God was not welcome in our schools, another series
of hurricanes pounded the Sunshine State. Forty in the Bible
indicates a time of testing:
It rained in Noah's day for 40 days and nights (Genesis
7:4).
Moses was 40 days on the mount when Israel sinned
(Deuteronomy 9:9-14).
The spies came back with an evil report after 40 days
(Numbers 13).

Israel wandered through the wilderness for 40 years
(Psalm 95:8-11).
Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days (1 Samuel 17:16).
Nineveh was given 40 days to repent (Jonah 3:4).
Jesus fasted and was tempted by Satan for 40 days
(Matthew 4:1, 2)
For these four hurricanes and a major tsunami to strike
after 40 years indicates a prophetic significance to the
season in which these events occurred. Our responsibility is
to correctly discern the season and interpret it according to
the spiritual times and seasons of America and the world.
Hitting the Coastal "Walls"
In America's major coastal cities, especially where
tourists converge, large surge walls are built on the beaches
to protect the inland from water damage caused by storms.
During the 2004 hurricanes, even the surge walls failed to
protect the inland from severe water and wind damage.
The coastal areas surrounding America on both the east
and west coast are considered they "walls" of our nation. In
the time of the Bible the walls of the cities were fortified and
served as a buffer to protect the. inhabitants from invading
armies and wild beasts. Enemies attacking any city knew
that the city was vulnerable once the walls or gates of the
city were destroyed.
In the time of Joshua, the city of Jericho was
supernaturally captured when the walls surrounding the city
collapsed. Over 31 Canaanite cities remained to be
conquered, but only Jericho was taken. I suggest the reason
the walls collapsed could be due to something placed in the
walls.
Years ago, archaeologists excavating the ancient ruins of
Jericho discovered a jar had been placed in the mud bricks

of the city wall. The contents contained the fragile dry bones
of an infant. A tour guide speculated that the inhabitants of
the city may have placed the bones of infants in the walls to
protect the walls from enemies or spirits.
God judged the walls of Jericho! Even the actual bricks
have small pieces of bones in them. These may be animal
bones and not human. I believe God judged the walls of
Jericho because the people had sacrificed innocent blood to
protect their city.
Jerusalem's outer walls were built of stone. Because the
city was built on a series of high hills, some felt it would be
impossible for the holy city to be captured (Lamentations
4:12). However, both the Babylonians and the Romans
struck Jerusalem with such force that they were able to
topple portions of the walls and burn the city's gates. God
warned Israel that invasions were coming, and told them one
of the reasons the enemy would be permitted to enter the
city was because the Hebrew nation had shed innocent
blood!
Shedding innocent blood involved killing the prophets
(Matthew 23:31), and offering their children up to idols such
as Molech (Jeremiah 32:35, 36). Jesus wept over Jerusalem
as He warned that His generation would receive punishment
because their ancestors had shed the blood of righteous men
(Matthew 23:30-35).
This was the reason Jesus gave for the coming invasion
and destruction of Jerusalem. It is clear that shedding
innocent blood brings a curse on the land.
Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some
of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your
synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the
righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the
blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the
temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come
upon this generation (Matthew 23:34-36).

This prophecy was given about 40 years before the
destruction of Jerusalem. The words indicate the reasons for
the destruction of Jerusalem. Christ said His generation
would experience the wrath of God for the slaying of the
prophets and righteous wise men sent to warn them of their
iniquities.
The walls of Jerusalem were beaten down by Roman
battering rams and breaches opened the door to the enemy!
The Beaches Were Devastated
During the four hurricanes, many of the Florida beaches
were devastated. I was in Destin weeks after the last
hurricane and was shocked to see where entire sections of
the beach, including the beautiful sand dunes, were
completely gone, as though picked up by a giant hand and
scattered miles away. Bars, hotels and beach-front
properties were destroyed, and homes and apartments were
ripped apart as though they were built out of toothpicks.
For some reason I immediately thought of how so many of
the beaches that were destroyed were hot spots for spring
breakers. Spring break attracts thousands of college
students to the Florida coast for all-night parties. The days
and nights are filled with heavy alcohol consumption, the
use of illegal drugs, sexual promiscuity and about every
sensual pleasure known to man. Hurricanes literally tore
apart these hot spots on the coastal areas of the Sunshine
State. We must again point out that it "rains on the just and
the unjust," and many homes of good people were also
affected during this season.
The Warfare in the Atmosphere
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He has promised, saying,
"Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven" (Hebrews
12:26).

There may be another reason the atmosphere has
changed, creating violent shakings. What are the spiritual
implications of the many storms brewing over the seas of the
world? Spiritual unrest in heavenly places could also be
manifesting itself on earth in the form of terrible winds and
the tossing of the sea. Paul the apostle indicates that Satan
is the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2).
Notice he didn't just say, "Prince of the air," but he said,
"Prince of the power of the air." This Greek word exousia
means authority or jurisdiction. The Greeks used two words
for air. In Ephesians 2:2, the word alludes to the atmosphere
between the ground and the clouds. This region of heaven is
a stronghold for four levels of demonic spirits. They are given
in Ephesians:
Principalities
Powers
Rulers of the darkness of this world
Wicked spirits in heavenly places
An example of these spirits operating in the heavenly
realm is Daniel 10, where a demonic "prince of Persia"
resisted an angel of the Lord from taking God's answer to
prayer to the prophet Daniel (Daniel 10:1-13).
In Revelation we read that Satan and a host of spirits are
now positioned in the heavenlies and will be cast down to the
earth during the time of the Great Tribulation (Revelation
12:9). This conflict will create a mighty shaking in the
heavenlies. It may even be the event that causes the powers
of heaven to be shaken and the star of heaven to fall to the
earth.
The Powers of the Heavens Shall be Shaken
One event to precede the return of Christ is a strange
prediction concerning the powers of heaven being shaken.

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and
the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the
powers that are in heaven shall be shaken (Mark 13:24, 25).
In the Bible there are several meanings to the English
word powers. There are powers of heaven, which alludes to
the sun, moon and stars. Another word for powers identifies
a person who is a magistrate or civic ruler. There is also a
word which alludes to spiritual powers under the dominion of
Satan.
1. When Paul said we wrestle against principalities and
powers, not against flesh and blood, he referred to
demonic hosts under Satan's dominion (Ephesians
6:12).
2. When Paul spoke of strong civic leaders, he often called
them powers (Titus 3:1).
3. When the prophetic Scriptures speak of the powers of
heaven being shaken prior to the return of Christ, this
alludes to the celestial powers of the sun, moon and
stars (Mark 13:25). Christ himself warned that the
stars would fall from heaven and the powers of heaven
would be shaken (Matthew 24:29).
While there are three definitions of the word powers in
the Greek New Testament, there are also two meanings of
the word stars found in the Bible. The word stars can be
literal stars, and is also a word used to identify angels.
Stars Fighting in the Heavens
Judges 5 presents an example of the word stars alluding
to angels and not the literal stars of heaven. Israel's enemy,
Sisera, had gathered 900 chariots of iron and his entire army
near the brook Kishon to fight against Israel. Suddenly and
without warning, the brook began to flood and the chariots
were swept away. The Bible says:
They fought from the heavens; the stars from their courses fought

against Sisera. The torrent of Kishon swept them away, that ancient
torrent, the torrent of Kishon (Judges 5:20, 21).
Josephus, the Jewish historian, relates that just as the
battle began, a violent tempest came with great torrents of
rain. A devastating hailstorm drove full in the faces of the
Canaanites, blinding and numbing them with cold so that
they could neither use their bows with effect nor even hold
their swords (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews).
Scripture indicates the stars fought in their courses. Most
commentators agree that angels of God assisted in this
battle. This is the primary meaning of stars (angels) fighting
in this passage. Other Old Testament references in the
English translation of the Bible use the word stars as a
symbol for angels (Job 38:7, Daniel 8:12). This story of
Sisera indicates that a war in heaven, fought by the angels,
produced a major storm on earth—literally, a flood—which
swept away over 900 chariots!
The Book of Revelation indicates that in the future a
similar angelic war in heaven will occur between the
archangel Michael and his angels, and Satan and his angels.
This violent war in the heavens concludes with Satan being
cast to the earth. After Satan is expelled from his domain in
the second heaven and hurled to earth, a warning is
announced by an angel of the Lord:
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the
inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you,
having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time
(Revelation 12:12).
After Satan is cast down to the earth, he produces a flood
of water on earth in an attempt to destroy a large Jewish
remnant being protected in the wilderness of Moab
(Revelation 12:13-17). Many scholars believe this remnant is
the Jews who will flee to Petra, a natural fortification in the
country of Jordan. Satan will bring water like a flood to

drown this chosen remnant.
I have been to Petra, and there is one entrance into the
city. It is a passageway 8- to 20-feet-wide with high cliffs on
both sides. This entrance is called the siq, and it twists and
turns for over a mile. There have been times when flash
floods struck the area, and on one occasion 18 French
tourists were swept away. They were unable to flee the
sudden surge of water pouring through the siq.
Likewise, Satan will create a supernatural flood of water
to flood through the region, but somehow there will be an
opening in the earth into which the water will pour
(Revelation 12:16).
The future war in heaven will produce floods on earth.
Even the prophet Daniel, the visionary who foresaw the time
of the end, indicates that the "end shall be with a flood"
(Daniel 9:26). In this passage, the word flood is sheteph and
means a "deluge." It can allude to a literal flood of water, or
to an overwhelming surge of trouble.
These passages make it clear that spiritual conflicts
occurring in heavenly places have an impact on earth. The
impact on earth can be in the form of floods. Remember the
warning given to the earth after Satan is expelled from the
heavens? "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea"
(Revelation 12:12). Satan's discharge from his heavenly
position impacts the sea!
Heavenly Battles Create Natural Storms
It does appear that the conflict between the angels of God
and the demonic powers of Satan can create strange weather
patterns in the heavens that impact the inhabitants on
earth. From a strictly human point of view, this would seem
ludicrous. Consider the mystery of why hurricanes, hail and
floods occur, however. We know the circumstances that
create them, but what triggers the circumstances? It is like
trying to explain creation without knowing the missing link,

God, who set the events in motion.
The days of Noah produced the worst loss of life by water
than at any other time in history. If the time before Christ's
return is parallel to the days of Noah, we will see a huge
destruction of life by water. Recently, the tsunami in the
Asian rim was the largest loss of life by water since the flood
of Noah!
The Fire of Sodom and Gomorrah
In the days of Lot, five cities nestled at the southern end
of the Dead Sea. They were called the cities of the plain
(Genesis 19:29). These five are identified in Genesis 14:1, 2:
Sodom
Gomorrah
Admah
Zeboiim
Zoar
Four of these five cities were suddenly destroyed by what
the Bible calls "brimstone from God out of heaven" (Genesis
19:24). The Hebrew word brimstone alludes to a form of
combustible sulfur. Geologists know that these five cities
were located at the southern end of the Dead Sea in Israel,
and that there is sulfur in the area. They are also aware that
early historians reported eyewitnesses living in the area who
wrote of seeing small fires creeping through cracks in the
earth's surface and a purplish smoke occasionally forming a
repulsive, sulfur-like odor near the Dead Sea.
Several miles from the suspected location of the five
cities, there is a large area in Jordan, covered with volcanic
rock. The signs suggest that a major volcanic eruption once
occurred in the area.
The combination of subterranean fire, the sulfur content

and the volcanic rock seems to indicate there was a massive
volcanic eruption which once wreaked havoc on the region.
As fireballs of red-hot lava shot high into the atmosphere, it
would appear to an observer from a distance that fire and
brimstone was falling from heaven on the cities. As Lot was
leaving the city, his wife turned back to watch this
phenomenon, and "became a pillar of salt" (Genesis 19:26).
For centuries, skeptics have read this passage and
explained the impossibility of taking this literally. Having
been to Israel over 26 times, however, I can attest to the fact
that there is a huge "salt mountain" on the southwestern
side of the Dead Sea. From a distance it appears to be a
normal mountain, but on closer examination it is actually a
large mountain of salt! The southern half of the Dead Sea is
also littered with large piles of salt crystals, often two to
three feet high and a foot in diameter.
Four of the five cities were consumed in fire and smoke.
Today, the ruins lie encased in layers of salt under the
murky, salty waters of the Dead Sea. The destruction of
these cities served as a warning to future generations who
would engage in similar sins. They led to the fiery
destruction of the cities of the plain. Sodom and Gomorrah,
and the cities around them, gave themselves over to sexual
immorality and went after strange flesh. They are set forth as
an example of suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude
7).
The central feature of Lot's day was the destruction of
these cities by fire. More than likely it was a volcanic
eruption that blasted brimstone into the air, crashing down
on thousands of inhabitants. Biblical prophecy does indicate
future events that are in line with volcanic eruptions on
earth.

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire
and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the
moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the
Lord (Joel 2:30, 31).
4
4 Blood, Fire and Pillars of
Smoke
ne of the most unusual prophecies of the future is
found in the prophetic Book of Joel and the New
Testament Book of Acts. In Acts 2:19, 20, the apostle Peter
quotes Joel 2 concerning the last days:
O
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and
fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the
moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the
Lord.
1. There will be wonders in the heavens and in the earth.
2. There will be blood.
3. There will be fire.
4. There will be pillars of smoke.
According to Luke, these important elements of prophecy
are signs that will come from "the earth beneath" (Acts 2:19).
A volcanic eruption is the only natural activity that could
fulfill the allusion to blood, fire and pillars of smoke.
In the Bible, blood and sword are associated with war, or
extreme suffering. The word fire is self-explanatory, since
every volcanic eruption originates from the molten, fiery core

of the earth. An eruption is accompanied by huge, dark
clouds ascending into heaven, forming the shape of a pillar,
or a pillar of smoke.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for pillars is often
used in connection with the pillars of the Tabernacle, the
Temple of Solomon or the structure of a building (Exodus 38;
1 Kings 7). When the word pillars alludes to a building, the
Hebrew common word is ammuwd, which means a "standing
column." Only two places in the Old Testament mention
pillars of smoke (Song of Solomon 3:6 and Joel 2:30). In both
references the Hebrew word for pillars is tiymarah, which
means a column or a cloud.
Throughout history, entire cities and communities have
been wiped out by a major volcanic eruption. Hundreds of
thousands of small and large dormant volcanoes are
scattered throughout the world, and especially in the Pacific
Rim. Even in the United States, Mount St. Helens in
Washington State erupted as recently as 1980, and began
stirring again in 2004. Any major earthquake or shifting of
the plates could stir fresh movement among lifeless
volcanoes throughout the world.
Prior to and during the 7-year Tribulation, volcanic
activity will definitely re-surface in selective areas of the
world. A strange prophecy in the Book of Revelation could
allude to a huge volcanic eruption:
The second angel sounded: and something like a great mountain
burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became
blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the
ships were destroyed (Revelation 8:8, 9).
This mountain burning with fire could be located in a
coastal area, on a large island in one of the world's major
seas, or it may be an undersea volcano. As the mountain
explodes into a deadly volcanic eruption, the lava, smoke
and volcanic ash will begin to fill the sea and disrupt the

BLOOD, FIRE AND PILLARS OF SMOKE / 89
ecosystem. The impact of the eruption will create huge waves
(tsunamis) which will literally overturn a third of the ships in
the sea. The majority of the world's ships are fishing vessels
and not battleships.
During a major tsunami, fish are pulled into the mighty
currents and are thrown up on the shores of the islands.
Any major volcanic eruption causes the waters nearby to
become highly acidic and undrinkable. Pam and I once
watched a video at home that dealt with a volcanic eruption
in the northwestern United States. We had assumed that the
danger was in the molten lava burning trees or houses. We
were amazed to learn that the volcanic ash and smoke are
deadly, and the waters became undrinkable.
Volcanoes in America and Europe
It may come as a shock to those in the United States, but
America has 68 potentially active volcanoes, more than any
other other country except Indonesia and Japan. Every year
at least six of them begin to belch smoke. Because some are
located in Hawaii and Alaska, few people take notice.
One major volcano outside of America is located in the
Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and Italy. The volcano,
Mount Vesuvius, is part of a super volcano named "Somma."
Mount Vesuvius is the same volcano that erupted in 79 A.D.,
burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The
mountain continued to erupt every 100 years until about
1037 A.D., when it entered a 600-year period of quiescence.
In 1631, the volcano erupted again, killing an additional
4,000 unsuspecting inhabitants.
Pliny the Younger observed the eruption of 79 A.D. from
approximately seven miles away (21 km). He wrote a graphic
description of the explosive eruption:
For several days before (the eruption) the earth had been shaken, but
this fact did not cause fear because this was a feature commonly

unusual-prophesies book 1 --perry stone

unusual-prophesies book 1 --perry stone

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (18)

Similar to unusual-prophesies book 1 --perry stone

Similar to unusual-prophesies book 1 --perry stone (20)

More from Katuri Susmitha

More from Katuri Susmitha (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (17)

unusual-prophesies book 1 --perry stone